TRUST IN LEADERSHIP: UNDERMINING IN TOP MANAGEMENT TEAMS

Following the character-based theory of trust, the current research aims to investigate the relationship between undermining and trust in the leader.The moderating role of emotional intelligence is also investigated.We use an experimental design to collect survey data from 205 individuals through social media connections.Analysis found that undermining was significantly related to reduced levels of trust in the target and the underminer.Additionally, emotional intelligence did not modify this relationship.This study informs managers of the costly effects of undermining.When trust is reduced, the organization can incur direct costs of reduced productivity as well as indirect costs of reduced morale and commitment.This research extends the existing literature on undermining to examine the effects on top management.